Melbourne took its turn in hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2006 with some 4500 athletes from 71 nations competing in 16 sports with 24 disciplines.
It was not the first time Australia had hosted the Commonwealth Games which began in Canada in 1930 as the British Empire Games with 11 participant countries.
- The British Empire Games became the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1954, the British Commonwealth Games in 1966, and the Commonwealth Games in 1978.
Because all athletes and officials could converse with one another in English, contributing to an atmosphere of greater friendship, the Commonwealth Games became known as the "Friendly Games."
The Empire/Commonwealth Games had previously been held in Sydney (1938), Perth (1962) and Brisbane (1982).
- The Games were held in New Zealand in Auckland (1950, 1990) and Christchurch (1974). The 2002 Games were held in Manchester, England, and the 2010 Games will be held in Delhi, India.
Dates
The Melbourne Commonwealth Games were held from March 15 to 26, 2006.
Games mascot
Mascot of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games was Karak, the red-tailed black cockatoo.
Venues
The opening ceremony was held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, venue of track and field events and the closing ceremony.
Other Melbourne venues included Melbourne Park, Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, Melbourne Exhibition Centre, Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens, and Telstra Dome.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground and Melbourne Park are within walking distance from the Melbourne city centre. Most other venues are within a three-kilometre radius from the city centre.
Basketball
For the first time in the history of the Empire/Commonwealth Games, basketball was included and played for the first time as a Commonwealth Games sport in Melbourne.
Basketball games were held at regional Victoria venues (Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Traralgon) and Melbourne Park.
Olympic events
Twelve of the 16 sports included in the Commonwealth Games are Olympic Games events.
Participating nations
Countries competing in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games were:
- Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Australia,
Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei Darussalam,
Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands, Cyprus
Dominica,
England
Falkland Islands, Fiji,
Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guernsey, Guyana,
India, Isle of Man,
Jamaica, Jersey,
Kenya, Kiribati,
Lesotho,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Island,
Pakistan, Papua New Guinea,
Samoa, Scotland, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St Helena, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Swaziland,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu,
Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania,
Vanuatu,
Wales,
Zambia
- Next page: Australia / New Zealand Games Highlights
